Thinking of ditching Windows Media Centre for MediaPortal

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Thinking of ditching Windows Media Centre for MediaPortal

silver565

170 posts

Master Geek

#100044 2-Apr-2012 11:36

The only reason I'm considering this is because(after much reading around here) WMC7 doesn't support the EPG guide with DVB-T properly in NZ. I'm aware I can run a program on a schedule to update the EPG manually every now and then, but this media centre isn't turned on all the time so the scheduler would be useless.

Mediaportal looks nice, however I'm unfamiliar with it. Any thoughts or tips as to what I should add/avoid?
I'm using three tuners(two physical). 1 x HVR 3000 and 1 x HVR 2210 which gives me three DVB-T tuners.

Windows media centre is nice, but (for some reason) the picture quality isn't as good as my TV's inbuilt tuner, however I can live with this, it's just the EPG which is annoying me

Any input would be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

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331 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#603704 2-Apr-2012 11:52

I haven't had any experience with Windows Media Centre at all (any versions), but have been a MediaPortal user since Dec 2006, back from when it was a 0.2x version, and am very happy with it.

It does take quite a bit to get it "up and going", but once done it is fantastic. The only tricky bit is possibly the codecs - I used to have heaps of codecs running, and it is a pain, as installing one codec would break another etc, but I have since removed most of them and just run the "SAF 6 package" (short for StandAlone Filters) and it works a treat for me.

The only think (downside) I am noticing now is that as my moves/TV series collection gets bigger, and more stuff added, it is slowing down my system, and MediaPortal sometimes takes up to 2-3 mins to start (and I am living with it LOL). But then, that could also be due to the fact that my PC which still runs XP SP3 and have not be rebuild since Dec 2006, nor any hardware been upgraded per-se! I have only added more RAM (went from 1GB to 2GB) during that time, and also upgraded my graphics card from a Nvidia 7300GS to a Nvidia 9400GT (to take advantage of hardware acceleration for DVB-T and high def contents), and swapped out my TV tuners card from a Hauppauge analog tuner card to the HVR-300 (when Freeview HD arrived in 2008).

I have also tried XBMC, but the lack of a PVR has somewhat put me off, although I do like the look and feel and "speed" of XBMC. But MediaPortal is still my primary and preferred HTPC application.

BTW, my HTPC specs (simply put) are as follow: Shuttle SN27P2, 2GB RAM, Palit Nvidia 9400GT PCI-E graphics card, HVR-300 (PCI) tuner, XP SP3, running MediaPortal 1.2.2 with the StreamedMP skin.

Cheers
WlgSpotter

silver565

170 posts

Master Geek

#603708 2-Apr-2012 11:58

Hmm okay. So it's really just the codecs I have to look at? Ideally I'd just like a media centre package that can use my three DVB-T tuners and the EPG guide at the same time(Plus look as good as my TV tuner does). It isn't a big as I hope :s

The system is more than capable of running it:

Core 2 Duo 2.66ghz
4GB Ram
Nvidia GT520 Silent(Asus)
The tuners I mentioned before
Windows 7 Home Premium

silver565

170 posts

Master Geek

#603709 2-Apr-2012 11:58

wlgspotter

331 posts

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#603711 2-Apr-2012 12:03

I should clarify that my system is rather "simple" in a sense that I only have 1x tuner (altho it is a hybrid one, but I only ever use DVB-T) therefore I am not sure if there are any other "pitfalls" that you should look out for.

For me, it really is the codecs, and actually the Hauppauge drivers/software as well - I need to install the Hauppauge driver/software in order for TV Server to pick it up. I am still using software/driver version from the 4.6 package - I know Hauppauge has released newer versions but since I had some issues when I upgrade my Hauppauge drivers previously (it broke my TV Server!) so I decided to adpot the way if "if it ain broken then don't touch it!).

Good luck!

reven

3743 posts

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#603721 2-Apr-2012 12:12

meidaportal is quite nice, and you should give it a go, but if your only issue is EPG, you could just make the epg collector run at startup and once an hour (this is similar to how mediaportal will do it, it will run it on a schedule).

doing it once again might mean it runs when the computer is off, but on startup means it will always run when you turn the system on. and hourly if you do leave your system on for days this will update your epg.

xbmc pvr is nice and what im personally using, but designed for a client/server setup (so is mediaportal to some degree), but if you dont have a tv server i wouldnt bother with xbmc pvr. it doesnt have all the featuers of a pvr yet (no timeshift, cant do "series link"/"record each week" etc) so i would

1. try running epgcollector on startup and hourly (or every few hours)
2. try mediaportal
3. try gbpvr/nextpvr

see what interface you like the best, it mostly comes down to interface you should be able to get epg working nicely in all.

sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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#603733 2-Apr-2012 12:22

You'll have the exactsame EPG issue with Media Portal, you need to import this via XML from an internet source or by running a MHEG5 to XML converter first.

I have personally always used GB-PVR and now nPVR (new version with a new name) as it's always been a rock solid product.

silver565

170 posts

Master Geek

#603741 2-Apr-2012 12:32

Ah.. I think I'll just stick to WMC then. Thanks for the input guys, I'll try and sort the EPG collector out

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toprob

126 posts

Master Geek

#603750 2-Apr-2012 12:38

I recently tried the move from Media Centre to MediaPortal, mainly because I'm temporarily away from terrestrial coverage, and changed to a very basic DVB-S setup. Since MC won't let me watch/record different channels on the same frequency, I looked at MediaPortal.

I must admit that I found the process of setting up the EPG a bit of an ordeal, and in the end I reinstalled MediaPortal outside of UAC controlled space, and it has never worked properly since. I have no idea how to fix it. Channels come and go, and the EPG still won't work as I want it.

Luckily years ago I bought DVBViewer, so I updated this, and never looked back. I know that MP does a lot of things well, but for an old guy like me with limited patience I consider the price of DVBViewer money well spent.

silver565

170 posts

Master Geek

#603758 2-Apr-2012 12:40

With WMC you can do a custom scan to find channels via DVB-S. Have you tried that?

I've found a few pages on here with tips on how to run the EPG updater. I think I'll just have to go with that :s

geekiegeek

2513 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#603772 2-Apr-2012 13:01

I gave up on MediaPortal after about 5 years of use, just to much hassle around the TV side of things. The best option for TV PVR I have found is a Tivo - set and forget. Then just use either an HTPC or set top box for non-tv content.

CYaBro

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#604032 2-Apr-2012 17:33

reven: meidaportal is quite nice, and you should give it a go, but if your only issue is EPG, you could just make the epg collector run at startup and once an hour (this is similar to how mediaportal will do it, it will run it on a schedule).

doing it once again might mean it runs when the computer is off, but on startup means it will always run when you turn the system on. and hourly if you do leave your system on for days this will update your epg.

xbmc pvr is nice and what im personally using, but designed for a client/server setup (so is mediaportal to some degree), but if you dont have a tv server i wouldnt bother with xbmc pvr. it doesnt have all the featuers of a pvr yet (no timeshift, cant do "series link"/"record each week" etc) so i would

1. try running epgcollector on startup and hourly (or every few hours)
2. try mediaportal
3. try gbpvr/nextpvr

see what interface you like the best, it mostly comes down to interface you should be able to get epg working nicely in all.

Do you have more info about the xbmc pvr? Are you using Mediaportal as your server?
Where did you find info on how to configure?

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

Regs

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Snowflake

#604052 2-Apr-2012 18:07

silver565: The only reason I'm considering this is because(after much reading around here) WMC7 doesn't support the EPG guide with DVB-T properly in NZ. I'm aware I can run a program on a schedule to update the EPG manually every now and then, but this media centre isn't turned on all the time so the scheduler would be useless.

couple of points:

1) setting up EPGCollector (free) to work with MCE is very quick and simple
2) you can add a scheduled task to the "startup" folder on your PC so that the process runs each time you boot up, or log on

further to (2), you could just set the scheduled task to "run missed scheduled on reboot" or some such thing.

and when you say scheduler is useless, do you mean from the point of view of browsing the EPG, or for having shows auto-record?

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Regs

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Snowflake

#604053 2-Apr-2012 18:07

silver565: The only reason I'm considering this is because(after much reading around here) WMC7 doesn't support the EPG guide with DVB-T properly in NZ. I'm aware I can run a program on a schedule to update the EPG manually every now and then, but this media centre isn't turned on all the time so the scheduler would be useless.

Sales Engineer
Snowflake
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about.me/nzregs
Twitter: @nzregs

silver565

170 posts

Master Geek

#604054 2-Apr-2012 18:14

I was meaning that I don't leave the media centre running. However if the EPG is very quick to run/update I guess it'd be fine on startup. The scheduler is pretty simple after all :)

Recommendations on what packages to use?

Regs

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Snowflake

#604109 2-Apr-2012 19:59

silver565: I was meaning that I don't leave the media centre running. However if the EPG is very quick to run/update I guess it'd be fine on startup. The scheduler is pretty simple after all :)

Recommendations on what packages to use?

I run MCE + EPGCollector + a couple of xbox extenders and that's about it. Serves my purpose fine. Lots of people add things like mymovies or mediabrowser. one add-on i'd like would be Skype from within MC, but I think the win8 experience and a skype metro app might sort me in this regard.

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Twitter: @nzregs

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